1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to surgical instruments used for the resectioning of bone or other tissue. In other aspects, the present invention relates to methods and devices for actuating such surgical instruments. In one particular aspect, the present invention relates to a modular hand-control for use with a pneumatic resecting tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Surgical instruments employing fluid-powered motors to rotate cutting or resectioning tools are conventional and well-known in the art. Such surgical tools are used in such delicate surgical operations as brain surgery and microsurgery. These surgical instruments must be capable of sanitary operation without contaminating an operating room environment. Also, because of the delicate nature of surgery, the surgical instrument must be manipulated easily by the surgeon without causing undue fatigue, which could lead to disastrous surgical errors.
Pneumatic resecting tools of this type are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,549,634; 5,352,234; 5,505,737; 5,569,256; 5,439,005; and 5,741,263. Traditionally, these tools are part of a tool system in which the tool is actuated using a foot pump or foot valve which a surgeon operates with his foot. The foot pump is typically located proximate the air pump that provides fluid pressure to operate the tool.
There are a number of surgical instrument systems that incorporate hand-operated controls for the instrument. Examples of such systems are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,712,386; 3,752,241; 4,530,357; 5,478,093 and Re. 27,032. However, these systems do not permit the hand control to be disconnected from the surgical instrument. Thus, the hand-operated control cannot be removed from the system when it is desired not to use it.
Quick release couplings are also known for use with surgical instruments such as this. Examples of these type of release couplings are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,505,737; 5,569,256 and 5,741,263. However, these devices are intended for releasably securing a cutting tool to the spindle shaft of a drive motor. In other words, they are useful for interconnecting the working end of the tool with the motor, thus providing a means of, for example, quickly changing out the tools during operation. They are not, however, designed to provide an interconnection between the motor section and the air conduit for the instrument. Nor do they provide any means for operably associating a hand-operated control with the tool.
Some surgeons may, however, prefer to use a hand-operated control rather than a foot-operated control. Where it is desired to begin using foot control, rather than hand control, there is an advantage to removing, or disabling, the hand control, to prevent inadvertent operation or interruptions in operation, of the surgical tool.
Therefore, a need exists for devices and methods that permit the quick and easy interconnection of a hand-control for resecting tools and similar devices.
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for a modular device control to be rapidly and easily installed in a resecting tool system. The motor portion of the resecting tool can be readily separated from the air conduit to which it is attached. In a preferred embodiment, modular hand-operated control is then inserted between the air conduit and motor and interconnected with both components. The modular hand-control provides a housing with an actuatable lever, or handle, which controls an internal valve assembly. Preferably, the hand control can be operably associated with the tool system by using quick releases.